La Casa de la Seda

You won't find La Casa de la Seda (The House of Silk) on most top ten lists of things to do in Barcelona, perhaps because it made the mistake of not being designed by Gaudi. In fact this 18th century Baroque beauty predates Barcelona's famous Modernisme architectural movement by a century or more and was the home of influential Guild of Silk Makers, one of the wealthiest merchant groups in the city during their peak. Today you can take a guided tour in English every Saturday morning at 11am (tickets 10 euros) and get a small taste of the grandeur of those times. Your guide will show you the impressive guild hall with its silk-lined walls and lavish drapes, chandeliers and religious shrine, as well as the perfectly preserved guild president's office, and the library with its 300 year old archives. Displays of silk weaving machines and a giant silk worm will help give you an insight into this historic industry. If you've been looking for something original to do in Barcelona you might have just found it! Aside from welcoming curious travellers for a walk back in time, La Casa de la Seda also offers its beautiful rooms for private events. The wow factor of the guild hall makes it perfect for wedding banquets, cocktail parties, presentations and even fashion shows, with a capacity between 60 to 100 people (depending on your preferred seating arrangements), whilst the president's office, meeting room and library can also be utilised to good effect. Contact them for more information.

La Casa de la Seda

A gorgeous venue and a fascinating insight into a historic industry that was once a key part of Barcelona's economy. Having visited most of the city's tourist sights already it was a very pleasant surprise to discover this unknown gem.